Ice carrier for automobiles



H. -ETHERIDGE i lc mamen Fon Auonollzs., v Arrucmonman Ausw. 192:.

, A mmm im.

Patented Oct. 1G, 1922.

STATES ARRY CLYDE ETHERDGE, OF VVACO, TEXAS.

ICE CARIER 4EOR` AUTOMOBILES.

Application led August 8, 1921. Serial No. l$0,598.

To all whom t may concern.' y

Be it known that` l, HARRY C. ETHERIDGE, a citizen of the United States,residing at 1Waco, in the county of McLennanand State of Texas', have invented certain new and use` ful Improvements in Ice Carriers for Automobiles, of which the following is a specif` cation, reference vbeing had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to ice holders and more particularly to devices of this character forholding ice upon the running rboard of motor vehicles.

In all of the devices known to the applicant which are on the market at the present time, the ice holders are either permanently secured to the running board and are thereforeI in the way or they are removably secured and must be stored in the machine in order to be convenient when desired for use.

It is the object of this invention to avoid the difliculties of a permanent ice carrier and also to avoid the necessity of storing a removable icecarrier, and to provide a device which may be readily placed in op.-` erative position for holding a cake of ice on a running board or thrown to an out of the way position beneath the running board whereby it is located in an extremely Vconvenient position when desired for use.

Another object'of the invention is the provision of a device of this character which is arranged so as to lbe placed in operative position on top of the runningboard or thrown to lan inoperative position beneath the running board and lockedl against accidental displacement when. in either position.

Further objects of the invention will appearV as the following specific description is read in connection with the accompanying drawings which form a part of this appli# cation and in whichx i -f Figure l' is a perspective view of the device shown in operative position on the running board of an automobile, the ruiming board being indicated in sectiontoshow thelock casing;

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view with the device in inoperative position;

Figure 3 is a detail perspective view showing the position of the notches in the ice carrying member;

Figure l is a detail sectional view through the lock casing when the device is in the position shown in Figure 2; and

Figure 5 is a detail sectional view showing the method of securing a box on the running` board of a machine.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, 1 represents the running board of a motor vehicle which has secured beneath the samea lock casing 2, having laterally extending flanges 3 and 1i to receive fastening` devices in the way of bolts and screws. The flange 1 is provided with a right angular extension 5 which lies upon the outer longitudinal edge of the running` board and which is secured to said edge in any suitable 1nanner. A plate 6 containing any suitable advertising may be secured to the extension 5 by the same means that said extension is secured to theV front edge of the ruiming board, as will be readily understood.

The lock casing, as shown, is constructed of a single piece of metal with its sides, indicated at 7, provided with rectangular openings 8 .for a purpose to be hereinafter described, and provided within the casing on a boltr9 is a latching member 10 having an extended operating lever 1l by which the operator may release the same from the ice carrying yoke, generally indicated at 12. The bolt 9 has surrounding the saine between the latching member 10 and the head of the bolt, a spiral spring which normally tends to hold the latching member in position to engage either of the notches 13 or 14 of the ice carrying yoke, as will be more clearly understood hereafter. The ice carrying yoke is, as shown, substantially .il-shaped in outline, consisting of legs 1.5 and 15, the latter being vthe longer and having its end rounded as shown at 17, so that when the yoke is fully extended it ymay be'turned within the square or rectangular openings 8, as will bereadily understood. The end of the leg 16 has secured'thereto a stop 18, here shown in the form of-a nut threaded upon the end.

The legs 15 and 16 are both rectangular in .cross section throughout the major portion of their length and the short leg 15 has its terminal point bent at right angles to form an ice engaging prong 18. This prong 18, as shown, is pointed at its outer end and threaded throughout the remainder of its length so as to receive a wing nut for a purpose to be hereinafter described. As shown in Figure 2, the leg 16 slides in the openings S and the leg 15 slides in rectangu lar notches 19 formed in the opposite ends of the sides 7 of the casing.

1n the operation of the device we will assume that the same is in the position indicated in Figure 2 beneath the running board and with the latch 10 in engagement with the notch let of the leg 16. If it is now desired to place the device in opera tive position for carrying ice the lever 11 is operated to release the latch member from the notch 11i and the yoke drawn outwardly until the stop is brought in contact with the inner side of the casing. 1n this position the rounded end of the leg 16 will freely turn in the rectangular openings 8 and the yoke member is then turned until the notch 13 is uppermost and the square portion of the leg 16 is in position to enter the rectangular openings S. The notch 13 is thus placed in a position to be engaged by the latch member 10. rl`he member 12 is then forced inwardly until the latch member engages in the notch 13 when it will be locked against accidental outward movement by the latch member and against turning by reason of the cross sectional configuration of the leg 16 and the shape of the openings 8. ln this position the prong 18 is perpendicular to the running board and all that is necessary is to set the cake of ice upon the penetrating prong 1S which enters the ice and holds the same efl'ectually against slippage. lVhen the yoke member is in this position a box, through the bottom of which has been formed an opening to receive the penetrating prong, may be placed on the running board and the thumb nut screwed down on the prong to hold lthe box in position. Vihen the operator is through with the device,` he may raise the lever slightly thus releasing the latch from the notch 13 and by pulling the yoke member as far out as it will come and giving it onequarter turn thereby aligning the leg 15 with the opening 19 and the notch 14: with the latch member 10. By then forcing it inwardly until the latch engages the notch 14, it will be effectually locked in inoperative position and in this position, as shown, it will be seen that the leg 15 is engaged in ,the notches 19 so as to prevent the leg 15 from dropping.

llhat 1 claim is:

1. 1n an ice holder for running boards of motor vehicles, a casing secured beneath the running board and having polygonal apertures, a polygonal member slidably fitted in said apertures and havinga rounded portion adapted to rotate in the apertures, said member having an ice penetrating prong adapted to be positioned on top of the running board or beneath the same, and means for locking the member with the prong` in either position.

2. An ice holder for the running boards of vehicles including a polygonal member having an extension bent back thereupon in spaced relation thereto and provided at its free end with a spike directed away from the member, a casing secured beneath the running board and having polygonal apertures receiving the member, said member being of greater length than said extension and being provided at the extremity thereof remote from the point at which the extension is attached thereto with a rounded portionadapted to rotate in said apertures, and means for locking the member with the extension thereof above or below the running board, the engagement of said member in said apertures preventing rotation of the member when in the locked position.

8. In combination, a casing adapted to be 'secured to the under surface of the running board of a vehicle, member directed through the casing substantially J-shaped in form and provided upon the short leg thereof with a spike directed away from the long leg, said mem-ber having the long leg thereof shiftable through said casing to move the member to a position with the short leg thereof clearing the edge of the running board, an engagement. between the casing and member permitting rotation of the long leg of the member within the casing when the member is in the last named position and preventing rotation of the member when moved inwardly from said position. whereby said member may be rotated to swingl the prong bearing leg thereof above or below the ruiming board and may be shifted to bring the prong thereof approximately centrally of the running board when in either of said positions, and means for locking the member against movement with relation to the casing when the member is in either of the last named positions and has the prong bearing end disposed approximately centrally of the running board.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature.

HARRY CLYDE ETHE-RIDGE. 

